Task Force Memo, April 11, 2007
Memorandum
To: The Asbury Faculty, Staff, Students, and Board Members
From: J. Ellsworth Kalas, President
RE: Task Force Work
A significant part of our work with Dr. Curt Bechler and his organization depends upon effective task forces. Let me report some of our progress in these matters:
1. The Board/faculty communication task force has been created. This group, led by Wade Pascal, had their first conference call this past Monday to move the process forward. In coming months, this group will update the community on their discussions. If you have observations or suggestions about their charge and task, please share them with task force members.
2. Three task force teams will begin work over the next two weeks to start the process of encouraging healthy interaction patterns across the organization. These task forces will receive specialized training in both conflict facilitation and communication.
In April and May, the task force members will work with Venture team members to lead a series of meetings across the campus community which will be open to everyone. The 60-90 minute meetings will be outcomes-based. The focus will be on establishing a shared discussion on the values important to the campus community, healthy communication and conflict behaviors, as well as beginning the process of discussing a vision for Asbury’s desired future.
During the May Board meeting these discussions will also occur at the Board level. The work of the campus community will be brought to the Board at that time.
3. The task force working with institutional strategic planning is composed of Charles Joiner (chair), Jim Holsinger, Bill Johnson, and Dan Johnson. This task force has already been working via conference calls and is beginning to identify ways to include the campus community in the process. Discussions have already begun with Leslie Andrews regarding means and methods suggested by the accreditation groups to involve and encourage key stakeholders in this type of process.
Chuck Gutensen has worked with the Venture team from the beginning as a liaison to the campus. His membership on the Peacemaker Task Force, as well as his work coordinating a faculty task force, is especially helpful. He has agreed to continue to coordinate and chair the work of the faculty task force dealing with healthy interaction patterns. In addition, he will work with Shawn Smith and the Venture team to oversee and coordinate the workings of other task forces on an as-needed basis.
Every church, business, or academic institution that has sought to move to the next level of greatness has found itself faced with struggle. This is Asbury’s time of struggle and renewal. However, out of this time comes the challenge and excitement of moving toward a stronger organization based in spiritual and academic integrity driven by a desire to model “best practices.”